With likely only 17 session days to go, the possibility of enacting reforms to the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program are still very much up in the air.

It is likely that on Wednesday, April 24, the Missouri House will take up HCS for HB 665, LIHTC reform. The substitute that passed out of the House Economic Development committee is like SB 28, Senate version of LIHTC reform but adds a requirement that the Missouri Housing Development Commission create an evaluation rubric and score all applications accordingly.

Currently, the credits are paid out over ten years, (the stream) every expert that I’ve asked believes any change in that plan will create uncertainties that will likely hurt the value of the credits. Rep. Derek Grier, Chairman of the Economic Development committee sincerely believes that moving the stream to six years will increase the amount of equity in the program. Based on my research,I must respectfully disagree. Taken in isolation six years vs. ten years may appear to be reasonable but when you are dealing with a program this complex, in terms of the interaction with the federal program and with the Internal Revenue Service the best response is to take the most conservative approach and stay with a ten-year stream.

Representatives may offer other changes, but it is likely that few have the potential to do the damage to the program that changing the stream from ten to six will. Because of this, there are only three “asks” in the email to your Representative. The first is to vote for the HCS; the second is to reject any attempt to change the stream of credits from the current ten-year plan; the third is to encourage your representative to support Rep. David Gregory’s position on any amendments. Rep. Gregory has spent significant time researching the issues involved, and he is uniquely qualified to make the analysis necessary on this legislation.

MLS Tax Suite by CRS Data integrates seamlessly into our MLS and gives you current tax data, detailed maps, and robust features on all browsers and devices. Find comparables including FSBOs quickly, evaluate them effectively, and give clients professional presentations.

If you have not previously had in-depth training on CRS Tax Data, come to one of the following dates/times listed below at The Greater Springfield Board of REALTORS®.

To Register CLICK HERE! Sessions will be limited to 75 attendees. So, if you are a current active user of CRS tax data, you will not want to miss out on the updates/upgrades CRS now has to offer!

If you cannot make it to one of these six classes, there are additional opportunities at other Associations throughout SOMO on Tuesday and Wednesday. To register for one of these days, please contact Lacey@gsbor.com.

WASHINGTON (February 25, 2019) – While many people know that a Realtor® helps buy and sell homes, what they may not know is that only a Realtor® is a member of the National Association of Realtors® and subscribes to its Code of Ethics. It’s the Realtor® Code of Ethics that inspired the association’s powerful new “That’s Who We R®” campaign, which launched today. The campaign aims to reinforce the value of Realtors® as advocates for property owners, engaged community members and trusted advisors with in-depth knowledge of the industry.

“Our story is a century in the making as we began to set NAR members apart from the rest by establishing a Code of Ethics in 1913. This code is as relevant now as it was one hundred years ago; it’s our pledge of honesty, integrity, professionalism and community service as a true partner for buying or selling a home, or property,” said John Smaby, 2019 President, NAR. “‘That’s Who We R®’ reinforces that partnering with a Realtor®, delivers the peace of mind that can only come from working with a real person who is committed to their clients’ futures and neighborhoods just as much as they are.”

“That’s Who We R®” serves as a reminder of what NAR has always stood for, while signaling where the organization is heading. For Realtors®, the campaign is a rallying cry that instills pride in their everyday actions. For consumers, it’s an education about the Realtor® difference.

The integrated marketing campaign from Havas features a cinematic world inspired by the Realtor® mark that serves as a beacon throughout. Everything from the larger than life “R” at the beginning, to the angles and geometry used as transitional elements and across the numerous sets was inspired by the mark that sets Realtors® apart. The agency partnered with Director X, known for his visually distinctive style, to create something distinct and modern. “That’s Who We R®” features compelling stories about humans helping humans find homes and property, build communities and turn business dreams into realities.

“Our society has created trusted symbols from ‘Verified’ Instagram accounts to the Good Housekeeping Seal,” said Karen Goodman, Group Creative Director at Havas Chicago. “As we dug into this brand, we knew Realtors® were the real deal and needed to find a way to telegraph that to everyone. We needed to turn the ‘R’ into the trusted symbol you should look for when buying and selling property.”

The campaign content will be brought to life through strategic partnerships reflecting the modern ways in which our target audience consumes media, including linear and online video, streaming and terrestrial audio, social media, branded partnerships with multi-channel content makers such as VICE, Apartment Therapy, The Atlantic, HULU and more. The :30 “That’s Who We R®” TV spot can be viewed here, and more information about NAR is available at www.nar.realtor.

The National Association of Realtors® is America’s largest trade association, representing more than 1.3 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.

Havas Creative, North America is a progressive creative agency network focused on being the most meaningful partner to the modern CMO. It offers a comprehensive mix of capabilities within three distinct networks; Havas, Arnold and The Annex, including creative, experience design, cognitive, data and technology as well as unique access to other Vivendi-owned properties. With agencies in NY, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, Atlanta and others, Havas North America brings nearly 2,700 of the most talented people in the business. As the most modern, flexible and agile network in the North America, Havas reinforces the following five key pillars in everything it does: creativity, culture, community, consumer experience and commerce. We are creators. We are data. We are social. We are ideas. For more information, visit havas.com or follow Havas on Twitter (@havas), Facebook (facebook.com/havas) and Instagram (@havas).

Havas Media North America drives meaningful connections between brands and people to deliver growth via award-winning marketing solutions. Fully integrated specialty units empower big agency resources while maintaining a bespoke, client-focused approach. Havas Media employs the “Havas Village” model, which unites all disciplines together under one roof: media, performance, analytics, digital, mobile, social, experiential, strategy, and creative. Named MediaPost’s 2017 Media Agency of the Year and Adweek’s 2016 U.S. Media Agency of the Year, Havas Media North America is a proud member of Havas Group, which operates in over 140 countries. Find us online at www.havasmedia.com or @havasmediausa.

If dues are not paid by January 31st, there will be a $50 late fee assessed on February 1st. If dues are not paid by February 28 then on March 1st membership will be terminated. If membership is terminated for non-payment and you wish to reactivate your membership at a later time, the SWMOBOR application fee of $50.00 will be required in addition to the full year’s dues and late fee.

Join us Saturday evening, December 1st, at the Monett Historical Museum – 422 E. Broadway, to kick off the Christmas season with your fellow members. We’ll also hold our annual RPAC Auction and Installation of our 2019 Officers and Directors that evening.

We’ll have a great dinner buffet, catered by Patty Osterloh. The cost of the buffet is $15.00 per person. You can register for the event by CLICKING HERE. Since we need to provide an accurate headcount, please register no later than Tuesday, November 27.